Can-filling machine



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(2. H. AYARS QAN FILLING MACHINE Filed Feb. 27. 1923 5 shee sheet 4 June 3 9 4- c. H. AYARS cm FILLING momma Fi led Feb. 27. 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 mime/V5? Patented JuneS, 1924. 1

. 'umfrn STATES PATENT QFFICE.

QHARLES H. AYABS, OF SALEM, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T AYARS MACHIl INE COM-- PANY, 0F SALEM, NEW JERSEY.

I CAN-FILLING MACHINE.

Application filed February 27, 1923. Serial No. 621,526.

To all whom it may concern.

' Be it known that'I, CHARLES H; AYARs, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Salem, in the county of Salem and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Filling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to can filling mechanism and is more especially adapted for use in canning tomatoes or other comparatively bulky fruits or vegetables but is readily adaptable for use incanning peas or other granular material.

In canning tomatoes or other juicy fruits by machine the fruits are liable to be crushed to a greater or less extent before they reach the cans. Under the usual practice the fruits and juices go into the cans together and it is practically impossible to insure uniformity in the solid content of the can. If

liquid is first fed to the cans the feed of the solids causes the liquidsto splash out thereby fouling the mechanism.

The objects of my invention are to provide means for draining the liquids from the solids as they are discharged from the hop-' per and before they reach the cans; means for separately feeding the liquids and the solids to the can; means for separately feeding a measured quantity of liquids and a measured quantity of solids to the cans; im-

proved means for feeding the solids, and

means for preventing waste of liquids.

These objects, and other advantageous ends which will be described hereinafter, I ati -tain in the following manner, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a canning machine embodying my invention,

Figure 2 a vertical section on 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 a plan view,

Figure 4 a plan view of the tank and telescoping sections,

Figure 5 a plan view of certain of the shaker parts,

\ Figure 6 a section on line 6--6 of Figure 5,

Figure 7 a central section through the liquid measuring and feeding devices, and Figure 8 an end view of the same looking in the direction of the arrow in Figure 7.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the the line frame of the machine, 2 the driving shaft, 3 a miter gear thereon meshing with a miter gear 4 fixed to a vertical shaft 5, 6 a disk mounted upon the frame and upon which the empty cans are deposited as they come from the can feeding machine, 7 a can positioning wheel, keyed to and rotating with shaft 5, and 8 a hub keyed to shaft 5 and carrying the funnels 9 through which the materials'are fed to the can. The funnel hub is vertically adjustable on the shaft in order that the funnels may be raised or lowered to permit themto function with cans of different size.

A liquid receptacle 10 having an inclined bottom 11 is carried by an inclined bed plate 12 mounted upon'the frame. The bottom 11 of the tank is provided at its lowermost point with an outlet 13 for liquid and the bed plate 12 is provided at its lowermost point with apertures 14 for the passage of liquid and at its opposite, or upper, side with an opening 15 forthe discharge of solids. At its upper end shaft 5 carriesa. dog 16 disposed in an oblong recess17 in a part 18 dependingfrom one of the sections of a measuring wheel. Part 18 1s provided with a depending annular shoulder 19 seated in a corresponding annular recess in the bed plate and rotatable therein.

The measuring wheel consists of a clrcular plate 20 resting on the bed plate, having a series of openings 21 and a. threaded exterior 22, a second plate 23 having a serles of openings 24, adapted to admit the mater als fed from the hopper, the openlngs being walled by depending sleeves 25 adapted to telescope within openings 21, and an ad usting band 26 having a threaded inter1or registering with the threaded exterlor 22 of plate 20 and a hand wheel 27 or other means whereby it may be rotated to raise or lower plate 23 relatively to plate 20. Openings 22 and sleeves 25 with bed-plate 12 form measuring chambers for the solids and the capacity of theseries of measuring chambers may be readily adjusted by rotation of adjusting band 26.

The flanges or sleeves 25 preferably have a curved upper interior edge or shoulder, to facilitate entry of the materials into the measuring receptacles, and the interlor surface of the sleeve parts inclines outwardly thereby facilitating dischargeof the materials.

y no

, funnels.

spaced from funnels 9 and presser feet\3 5 are mounted to slide between the guides and As shown, each presser foot has an upwardly extending arm 36 connected at its upper end with adownwardly extending arm 37 adapted to slide in the space between guides 34 and the funnels. Rollers 38 rotate on studs 39 extending between the guides and connected with arms 37. The rollers 7 travel upon a. cam track 40 and, as the hub 8 is rotated, they are carried alternately to the high and low points of the track, as indicated in Figure 2, thereby reciprocating the presser feet in the funnels. By arranging the presser foot upon the inclined face of the funnel its high position leaves a free passage for the incoming charge and, as it moves to its low position, it closes the mouth of the funnel and presses the material into the cams.

The liquid discharged from the liquid receptacle through outlet 13 flows through a pipe 41 to a liquid chamber 42 in the bottom of which is rotatably mounted a U- shaped measuring valve 43 adapted to be actuated by a shaft 44 and to discharge through a funnel 45 into a can. For varying the capacity of the measuring valve I provide a threaded plunger 46 taking into the valve through a threaded collar 47 secured to the wall of the liquid chamber. A gear 48 on the end of shaft 2 meshes with a gear 49 on a vertical shaft. 50 which carries a gear 51 meshing with a gear 52 on shaft 44 which actuates the liquid measuring valve 43.

Shaker mechanism.

this shaft carries at its upper end a wheel '56 having an upwardly extending pin 57 eccentric to the shaft. One end of hopper plate- 28rests upon a stud 58, extending from the frame,and is yieldingly held thereon by a pivot pin 59 and spring 60. The other end of the hopper plate is fixed to a bracket 61, the free end of which slidably rests on wheel 56. The bracket is provided with a longitudinal slot 62, through which eccentric pm 57 extends, and the bracket is yieldingly held against wheel 56 by a spring 63. \Vhen shaft 2 is in motion, wheel 56 will be rotated and, by means of eccentric pin 57, imparts a sidewise reci rocating movement to the hopper plate an hopper.

As usual, the cans are brought into sealing engagement with the discharge ends of funnels 9 and, as the cans have been previously charged with the required amount of liquid, and the liquid matter has been previously drained from the solids, the liquid takes up no space in the measuring chamber which should be occupied by solids, and the cans contain a uniform charge of solids. Inasmuch as the cans contain only the required quantity of liquid, any liquid which may splash into the mouth of the funnels is immediately returned to the cans and no liquid is wasted or splashed over.

\Vhile I have described my invention as taking a particular 'form, it will be understood that the various parts of my invention may be changed without departing from the s irit thereof, and hence I do not limit myse f to the precise construction set forth, but consider that I am at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a 'can filling machine, an inclined bed plate having a discharge opening in its upper part; a liquid receptacle disposed below the bed plate; means for draining liquids from the bed plate into the liquid receptacle; means for feeding materials to the lower part of the bed plate, and means for conveying the solids from the low part of the bed plate to the discharge opening.'

2. In a can .fillin machine, an inclined bed plate having a ischarge opening in its upper part; a liquid receptacle disposed below the bed plate and having an inclined bottom; means for draining liquids from the bed plate into the liquid receptacle; means for feeding materials to the lower part of the bed plate, and means for conveylng the solids from the low part of the bed plate to the discharge opening.

3. In a can filling machine, an inclined bed plate having a discharge opening in its upper part; a liquid receptacle disposedbelow the bed plate; means for draining liquids from the bed late into the liquid recepbed plate having a discharge opening in its upper part; a liquid receptacle disposed below the bed plate; means for draining liquids from the bed plate into the liquid receptacle; means for feeding a measured quantity of materials to the lower, part of the bed plate; means for conveying the solids from the low part of the bed plate to the discharge opening; a measurlng device for liquids communicating with the liquid receptacle, .and' means for feeding a measured quantity of liquid to the cans.

6. In a can filling machine, an inclined bed plate having a discharge opening in its upper part; a liquid receptacle disposed below the bed plate; means for draining liquids from the bed plate into the liquid receptacle; a plate having a series of openings and resting upon the bed plate; a plate having a series of openings walled by depending sleeves adapted to telescope within the openings to form measuring chambers; means for feeding materials to a measuring chamber at the low part of the bed plate, and means for rotating the inclined plates to con- 5. In a can filling machine, an inclined vey the materials to the discharge opening.

7. In a can filling machine, an inclined bed plate having a discharge opening in its upper art; a liquid receptacle disposed below the bed plate; means for drawing liquids from the bed plate into the liquid receptacle; a plate having a series of openings and resting upon the bed plate; a plate having a series of openings walled by depending sleeves adapted to telescope within-the openings to form measuring chambers; means for feeding materials to a measuring chamber at the low part of the bed plate; means for rotating the plates to convey the materials to the discharge opening, and means for adjusting the plates relatively to each other.

8, In a can filling machine, an inclined bed plate; a liquid receptacle disposed below the bedplate; a circular plate having a threaded exterior and a series of openings and resting upon the bed plate; a plate having a series of sleeves adapted to telescope within the openings to form measuring chambers; means for rotating the plates, and a threaded adjusting band embracing the threaded exterior of the first named plate. i

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. 1

- CHARLES H. AYARS. Witnesses:

CHAS. E. Po'rrs,

ELIZABETH Gums. 

